The Little Garden That Could

Flagler Garden will be an amenity for urban dwellers in downtown Fort Lauderdale

If you follow Cadence closely you have definitely heard us mention Flagler Garden at some point. A recent hot topic featured in the Sun Sentinel, Tropic Magazine and Inside South Florida the garden has garnered support and followers eager to see the community amenity come to life. This project is near and dear to us for several reasons. Yes, it’s located in our Flagler Village neighborhood. Yes, we were thrilled to be the designers. But more important than both of those, this project is proof that event demonstrations (remember Better Block FTL) led by a grass roots community movement really can make a difference in our neighborhood. This vacant sliver of property will soon become a vibrant destination amenity for the community.

Designed to be the City’s first destination garden, Flagler Garden will grow more than just fruits and vegetables. It will grow authentic connections, it will grow availability to educational opportunities based around sustainable living and it will grow awareness about the power of well designed outdoor spaces. We live in a place where most people dream of vacationing – let’s give that outdoor space the love it deserves. Get outside and grow downtown.

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Hi Neighbor!

What are you doing for Neighbor Day?

The progressive online news magazine GOOD has declared April 27th Neighbor Day. Sounds good to us! We have folks ask us all the time why we do events like Revel on the Block, PARKing Day FTL and Play Your CIty FTL. Plain and simple – we want to be good neighbors. We want to show people that when places are designed and thought is put into how visitors experience a space, meaningful connections are made.

Shauna Niequist recently explained the false perceptions that factor into social media platforms. The importance of face to face interaction gets lost in our world of instagraming, tweeting, posting and tagging. Use social media as a tool to connect, but then push past that virtual barrier to cultivate connections – that’s how things get done. As designers, ideas are great but the power is in the execution.

Join us on Neighbor Day in FATVillage or come see us every last Saturday of the month at our Cadence Pop-Up gallery. We’ll share our work, provide refreshments and show you how you can get involved in our community. We’re happy to be your neighbor.

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Cadence to present in San Juan for Puerto Rico’s Landscape Architecture Week

In the mid 2000’s we spent almost 4 years working in Puerto Rico. Designing and project managing the construction of two of Puerto Rico’s premiere resorts, W Vieques Retreat and Spa and The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort. On April 19th we’ll return the vibrant island to share our knowledge of urban revitalization and community engagement.

Earlier this year a former classmate from LSU, who now serves as President of the Puerto Rico Institute of Landscape Architecture contacted us to speak during Semana Arquitectura Paisajista (Landscape Architecture Week) in San Juan, Puerto Rico. After seeing our tactical urbanism efforts with Better Block FTL and other streetscape design projects, she asked us to speak about “Streets As Places”. We’ll be joining a interesting collection of speakers including Isabel Castilla, from James Corner Field Operations and project manager of their High Lline Park Project in NYC . We look forward to sharing some insight with fellow design professionals and sudents in the Capital City.

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Pianos out for public play

A collaboration: Fort Lauderdale Parks & Recreation Department, Cadence and Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale

Join us for the double header launch that will create a public art and music installation for residents and visitors of Fort Lauderdale. View all five pianos, repurposed by artists, in one location before they are dispersed throughout Downtown FTL for their 3 month display. Come play, watch, listen and connect with your neighbors around the painted piano brigade.

APRIL 27 FATVillage Art Walk 7pm -11pm

APRIL 28 Riverwalk Sunday Arts 11am – 2pm

Follow the movement on Facebook and share your pictures on Instagram @FTLPlayYourCity

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Monthly Pop-Up Gallery

When we decided to set up shop in the middle of FATVillage Art District, we knew converting our space into a temporary gallery must be a part of the plan. On October 6th we finally got our feet wet, and the Cadence Pop-up Gallery opened by launching CHAIRs. This pilot exhibit will be open through October 27th and features one of kind chairs from 11 artists. Our designers, artists and craftsmen include: Mark Dineen, Luke Jenkins, Akiko Iwata, Derek Shambora, Anthony Barrineau, Cedri Martini, Jona Cerwinske, and collaborative works by Ricardo Velesquez, Lucia Migliaccio, Arnoldo De Arriba, and Jeanette Vela of Casa Conde & Associates and Homeless Design Lab.

About the Gallery

The Cadence Pop-up Gallery exists to highlight progressive and contemporary design as it relates to the living environments we encounter as humans. The gallery seeks to showcase artists, designers and creators who explore functional art and design. This pop-up joins the growing list of galleries in Flagler Village and is excited to provide residents, students, designers and artists with a new place to gather, connect and discuss the importance of Art + Design in our community.

This by-day office space will be transformed into a galley space showcasing exhibits that will directly connect the gallery and community by following a model that pivots on giving back. A portion of any proceeds collected will be directly funneled into the Flagler Village Community through various projects. The CHAIRs Exhibit is dedicated to further development of the proposed Flagler Village Community Garden.

The Cadence Pop-up Gallery will be open during FATVillage Art Walk [Last Saturday of the month] and for special events. For more information please contact gallery@cadence-living.com.

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Building a Better Block, setting the stage for reimagination

It’s a funny thing in life when you have those rare moments where timing, talents, resources, people, and energy converge to create something that is truly amazing. We’ve all felt it before and we know to cherish and nurture it because it is special. So why can’t businesses and the development of places use that as a driving force? It makes sense. Wouldn’t prosperity, sustainable commerce and public wellness follow? We think so.

This is a story about a group of people who believed in the power of doing and finding an answer to the question, “why can’t Fort Lauderdale be better?” On June 16, 2012, we built a Better Block and the community showed up to enjoy it. Cadence partnered with local businesses, University organizations, property owners, non-profits, residents, students and neighbors to transform nearly 600 linear feet of dull warehouse lined streets into a bustling urban-living environment.

Setting the stage

As Landscape Architects we know the importance of creating an experience. It is not a complicated list of elements that make for successful places – seating, shade, food/drink, elements to engage conversation, a comfortable scale, inclusion of local businesses. Yet somewhere along the way, development patterns shifted and this simple list was forgotten. It became a norm to ignore the spaces between buildings, the scale of our streets and importance of sidewalks. These are all vital factors to the overall success and connection of our cities. Think of us as setting the stage for a great performance to take place.

Here’s a sample of some of the questions we began to ask:
How will seating arrangements be set up to encourage lounging and interaction?
Where will we provide bike parking?
What about dog owners?
How many food options should there be?
What art exhibits will compliment the businesses?
Where should the music be located?
Which retailers should be highlighted that offer unique goods?

All of the answers above along with dozens more “props” were then produced to deliver a vibrant environment that was neighborhood specific and reflected the personality behind Flagler Village. Each prop helped to set the stage for the community to interrupt their own experience for the day.

Dear Fort Lauderdale, meet the connection economy

As we’ve experienced, Fort Lauderdale is taking its sweet time in rebounding from the booming years it experienced right before the Great Reset. What Better Block FTL demonstrated to our community was the power of connection. We believe that the connection economy offers a sustainable and enjoyable solution to climbing out of the recession. If you are waiting for business to return to what it was, you may be waiting for quite some time. Instead, why not reimagine what business as usual can mean.

Better Block was built on time. Each and every person that helped bring it to life volunteered their time. For this project, money was not the driving factor. This kindred spirit built connection and gave us all ownership in what was achieved. The businesses that were highlighted as pop-up shops were all locally owned, South Florida and primarily Flagler Village entrepreneurs. The introduction of these small businesses and people to one another now creates a level of connectivity that makes the fabric of our local commerce even stronger. Designers and businesses owners are the linchpins to connect goods and services with a more sustainable approach. In turn, what is delivered to the public to consume directly strengthens their local community.

Small + Local + Creative = Authentic Impact

Anyone who appreciates a deliciously crafted meal knows that the quality of each ingredient defines the dish’s final outcome. That too, is the key to effective collaboration. Better Block FTL was the result of people caring about what was served to the public on June 16th. Each ingredient we decided to add was carefully considered to ensure the event reflected the unique vibe that Flagler Village represents for our city. It celebrated the creative souls that want to make Fort Lauderdale a better place to live, engage with their neighbors, work, invest, raise a family, go out with their dogs, experience art and play. This is what it took to deliver that authenticity. Money alone could not have created that impact.

As we’ve said so many times, we could not have embarked upon this effort alone. Better Block FTL collaborators included FAU School of Urban and Regional Planning, FAT Village Arts District, Flagler Village Civic Association, C&I Studios, Radio-Active Records, Public Image Vintage, Helium Creative, Iron Forge Press, Artist Luke Jenkins, Zahn Development, Urban Matters, Fort Lauderdale DDA, Fort Lauderdale Northwest CRA, City of Fort Lauderdale

Read more from the various media outlets that covered the story of Better Block Fort Lauderdale:

The Miami Herald

Sun Sentinel

South Florida Business Journal

Salty Eggs

Broward New Times

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Keeping the Momentum

We’re coming up on 2 1/2 years in business. We’ve recently moved into a new downtown studio space that we are stoked to be in. And Better Block FTL’s awesome turnout is still resonating inside of us.

So what’s next? We want to see our business continue to grow, as well as the community we’ve invested in – right here in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

On June 19th we found out about the opportunity to qualify for a $250,000 small business grant through Mission: Small Business sponsored by Chase and LivingSocial. The offer has been open since the beginning of May, but had a deadline for June 30th. Incredibly, in 10 days, YOU helped us reach 250 votes. Thank you for believing in us and proving that the community we are building is a real one. That was step one, now our application is in the hands of the review board.

If you’d like to keep up with us as our small business continues to grow, follow our journey. We’ll be posting more updates here or you can catch us on Facebook and Twitter.

As always, THANK YOU! We feel the love and we’ll keep making you proud.

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NORTH BEACH VILLAGE CHARRETTE: Urban Design | Fort Lauderdale, Florida

SCOPE OF SERVICES | Design Charrette

PROJECT STATUS | Published in TROPIC Magazine, February 2012

PROJECT  STATEMENT | Located between Fort Lauderdale’s Bonnet House Estate and Starwood’s W Hotel is a stretch of low-rise buildings begging for a re-birth. In its February 2012 issue, Tropic Magazine challenged 5 design teams to reimagine this area.  Cadence collaborated with PowersSchram Architects to create a sustained coastal destination. This is a village where environmental, economic, and social implications are equally considered to bring vitality back to the streets of Breakers, Terramar, VistaMar, and Windamar. Streets, that beg to once again live up to their suggestive names. Equal attention has been devoted to multi-modal access, versatile business opportunity, and investment in public open space. The vision for North Beach Village reunites old-Florida hospitality with a pedestrian focused village; echoing days when canopy trees towered over this beach front barrier island. The new North Beach Village offers the ability for Mid-Century buildings to be re-born. Empty parcels to be re-imagined and transformed, shared by a rotation of vendors, outdoor exhibits, performance artists, and students. North Beach Village will work to sustain itself, but support the City as a whole. This will be a progressive development model – honoring connection and collaboration.

Breaker’s Avenue was the specific area of focus for our team. Here on the Avenue, people are prioritized and automobiles are in the periphery. A tree canopy returns along the Avenue that was long ago lost to development. Live oaks, gumbo limbo, mahogany, and buttonwood now spill over the walls of the Bonnet House painting the sidewalks with shade. Mid-Century modern architecture will be renewed for a different generation to appreciate and enliven. Street-side activity flourishes year round for both residents and global travelers alike.

Sun Terrace Park (along the Intracoastal Waterway)

Street Front Parklet (along Breaker’s Avenue)

Rotating Market Space (vacant lot along Breaker’s Ave)

Cadillac Food Truck Square (vacant lot along Vistamar)

Art of Travel

What we find exotic abroad may be what we hunger for in vain at home. ~Alain de Botton

Five years ago I picked up a book by Alain de Botton titled The Art of Travel. Before purchasing the book I read several reviews on its brilliance and being someone who cherishes the importance of travel, I thought this book should be a perfect fit. Four different times over the years I picked up the book, yet never could I become entranced with the words. Sitting next to my beside atop the stack of books, The Art of Travel has been starring at me asking for another chance.

Last week I opened the book for a fifth time. We were headed to Amsterdam, Belgium and France. I thought, let me try reading Botton’s work while actually traveling. Viola, the magical state of mind that occurs when staring out the window of a plane or train unlocked the gate that before had been blocking Botton’s creative depiction of travel. The marvelous comparisons that Botton makes between how we experience travel and how travel effected the art of Baudelaire, Hopper, Maistre and Flaubert streamed so easily through my conscious.

Getting lost in the art of travel is something we just don’t allow ourselves to do as often as we should. You know, the type of travel that is long enough, and exotic enough to alter your normal state of mind. Days seem longer, the disconnection to your phone and internet is serene and daily responsibilities fade. The clarity at which I could understand the points that Botton was making on what makes a place exotic, the challenge of possessing beauty of a place, and finally the appreciation for just being in a place, confirmed my own inner thoughts. It was normal for me to day dream as I watched the city goers. Gazing at them as if they are in a snow globe and I am peering in on them from outside. It’s interesting to study people as they move about their everyday routine, viewing them as something exotic because they use a bike for primary transportation, or live in tilted apartments that seem so curious, or because they work in a cafe with only 6 table tops. This is the beauty of travel. A moment afforded to the traveler to observe, listen and absorb even the simplest of things that emerge as exotic.

If you are headed to a far away place or are looking to appreciate more of that which is your everyday life, pick up Botton’s book. There can be an art to everything that we do. Take time to possess the beauty that lay in the details of a place, celebrate that which is exotic, and appreciate the moments that make up your everyday life.

Lastly, never give up on a thought, a goal, a challenge. You never know when your mind and the location you find yourself in will unlock the perfect moment to see and understand something that you’ve never before been able to comprehend.

Bonus Share
If in Amsterdam you must experience Restaurant de Kas. The greenhouse is the restaurant and every single day the menu, a surprise. The ultimate farm-to-table experience.

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DAN MARINO FOUNDATION CAMPUS: Urban Design | Fort Lauderdale, Florida

PROJECT STATUS | Construction Documentation

PROJECT  STATEMENT | The Dan Marino Foundation is renovating 2.6 acres and a 15,000 square foot, 3-story building in downtown Fort Lauderdale as the first vocational college in the United States dedicated to young adults with Autism and other developmental disabilities. Cadence is providing master planning services for the campus as well as detail design and construction documentation for the exterior of the site. Elements include a street-front park and campus courtyard space that is fully integrated with the College’s educational program. Cadence collaborated with PowersSchram Architects, occupational therapists and the student population to further understand and design to particular sensitivities. Our team is proud to be part of a project with such a positive impact on both the redevelopment of downtown Fort Lauderdale, and the independence the students will gain by being a part of this College campus.